Before I get rotten tomatoes thrown at me and 1,000 questions about why I'm trying to "force" my baby out before he's ready, let me give a little backstory!
I was induced at 38 weeks with my daughter for severe preeclampsia. My OB never tried to help me when she saw warning signs of pre-e, she just let me get sicker and sicker until an induction was necessary for both mine and my baby's lives. My body was nowhere near ready and the induction failed resulting in a cesarean. I'm now 37+4 with our second baby, a son. I've been on blood pressure medication and full, strict bedrest since 28 weeks. My midwife has been amazing at keeping things under control, but my body is starting to rebel and I'm getting sick again. Thankfully, this time my body isn't kicking into full blown pre-e just yet. My pressures have been great on medication, but are creeping up into the dangerous level again. I'm spilling protein in my urine and having pitting edema. Thankfully, my blood work is showing up ok right now though! I have an NST each week and a BPP each week and up until now Levi has looked perfect. Last NST however showed a baseline heartrate in the 200's with accelerations into the 220's - way too high. A BPP showed a very degraded placenta and low amniotic fluid. He is starting to react to my body getting sick. Because of this, my midwife has encouraged me to try every "natural" induction method in the book. All the "old wives tales", ect.. We do NOT want to go the medical induction route because of the huge increased risk of it failing, resulting in a section. The rate or uterine rupture also increases with an induction.
At 36 weeks when I had my GBS swab my cervix was very thick and still completely closed. That that point, I started taking 1,000 EPO orally daily and sex, sex, sex, - at my 37 week appointment I was 50% effaced, starting to soften, and 1cm dilated. That's progress and is exactly what we want. If we can get my body to kick into gear and go into labor naturally before I get sicker and an induction or repeat section, that would be absolutely wonderful!
I'm working on borrowed time, it's only a matter of time before my body just can't go on any longer. ANY and ALL suggestions on other natural induction methods, methods to kick your body into gear/labor, soften and dilate the cervix, ect.. are MUCH appreciated! I'm trying to remain calm, and I'm doing a good job so far - but thoughts of a failed induction or repeat section are creeping into my head and I must stay positive!!
(x-posted in Sept DDC too since I was originally due 9/1)
I was induced at 38 weeks with my daughter for severe preeclampsia. My OB never tried to help me when she saw warning signs of pre-e, she just let me get sicker and sicker until an induction was necessary for both mine and my baby's lives. My body was nowhere near ready and the induction failed resulting in a cesarean. I'm now 37+4 with our second baby, a son. I've been on blood pressure medication and full, strict bedrest since 28 weeks. My midwife has been amazing at keeping things under control, but my body is starting to rebel and I'm getting sick again. Thankfully, this time my body isn't kicking into full blown pre-e just yet. My pressures have been great on medication, but are creeping up into the dangerous level again. I'm spilling protein in my urine and having pitting edema. Thankfully, my blood work is showing up ok right now though! I have an NST each week and a BPP each week and up until now Levi has looked perfect. Last NST however showed a baseline heartrate in the 200's with accelerations into the 220's - way too high. A BPP showed a very degraded placenta and low amniotic fluid. He is starting to react to my body getting sick. Because of this, my midwife has encouraged me to try every "natural" induction method in the book. All the "old wives tales", ect.. We do NOT want to go the medical induction route because of the huge increased risk of it failing, resulting in a section. The rate or uterine rupture also increases with an induction.
At 36 weeks when I had my GBS swab my cervix was very thick and still completely closed. That that point, I started taking 1,000 EPO orally daily and sex, sex, sex, - at my 37 week appointment I was 50% effaced, starting to soften, and 1cm dilated. That's progress and is exactly what we want. If we can get my body to kick into gear and go into labor naturally before I get sicker and an induction or repeat section, that would be absolutely wonderful!
I'm working on borrowed time, it's only a matter of time before my body just can't go on any longer. ANY and ALL suggestions on other natural induction methods, methods to kick your body into gear/labor, soften and dilate the cervix, ect.. are MUCH appreciated! I'm trying to remain calm, and I'm doing a good job so far - but thoughts of a failed induction or repeat section are creeping into my head and I must stay positive!!
(x-posted in Sept DDC too since I was originally due 9/1)
Follow Mothering